Creation
by Mira Spiegel
Summary: Aro pushes his curiousity to the limit and discovers a new and exciting opportunity. The only thing is it could destory the Volturi and everything they have worked so hard to build. Aro/Sulpicia Aro/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Twilight characters and I'm not making any money off of this story.

**Author's Note: **This story is the brain child from a comment Stephanie Meyer made about Aro, calling him "freakishly curious." And here is the result. I hope you all enjoy!

I also just re-loaded the chapters with the proper scene breaks in the story. It should be much easier to read now.

**Twilight: Creation**

**Chapter One**

He didn't know what he was searching for, he was just searching. Was it for a reason? He had plenty of those, each one just as well versed as the next. They were empty, inexcusable but they were believed by his brothers and that was all that mattered.

Perhaps it was forgiveness? He quickly discounted that. The only person who could forgive him was Didyme, the victim of his own pride, deceitfulness and will to survive in a dangerous society. He repeated the reasons to himself again, an odd version of "Hail Mary." No, not Hail Mary...more like the plague song that had reached Italy from England. He tried to recall the entire thing but his memory would only reveal the last line of the rhyme. His own mind had turned against him now.

_Ashes, ashes, we all fall down._

Except they all didn't fall. Just Didyme. For the rest of them, it was more of a stumble. Marcus was still stumbling. Aro pushed a sigh out of his lips, not because he had to release the air but rather the emotions. Three hundred years and Didyme's death still weighed on him. But he could never show it to Caius and definitely not to Marcus. What would he, the grieving brother, have to feel guilty about unless he had a hand or two in her death?

So was it guilt then, that drove him to the shores of the Mediterranean? He had expected the guilt to fade over the years but it had only grown. His cheerfulness was becoming more and more forced, as if he was proving he didn't need Didyme to make him happy. His collecting was getting out of hand and he had written the Volturi history in minute detail it bored even him to read it. Now they have a newcomer, Carlisle, watching their every move, learning from the society that Aro and his brothers had built from the ground up, with those eerie golden eyes of his.

The sea breeze whipped up, carrying with it the scent of a lone human. Wanting a distraction from the onslaught of thoughts, Aro moved quickly down the beach to investigate. Judging from the fragrance it was a young human. It lacked the staleness of age or the tang of illness. Young, fresh...it made him thirsty all over again and the hunt began again.

The moon was full, offering very little cover for him to travel unseen. There was no sense is keeping to the low lying brush so he stepped boldly onto the shifting sand. He was once again thankful for the lack of his brother's presence. Caius refused to leave Volterra when there was a full moon and Marcus, well, Marcus rarely left at all. Aro shook those thoughts from his mind and focused on following the delicious scent that was pulling at him, tempting him. The nearer he drew to the source, the more his mouth watered with venom. Whoever it was, their blood was a siren to him..._la tua cantante_.

His foot tangled in a piece of a clothing, stopping his progress. Annoyance took the edge off his excitement as he unraveled the cloth from his leg. Shaking it off, he was surprised to find it was a traveling cloak made of an expensive wool. The scent he had been following clung to the fabric. They had to be close.

"Signore?"

A woman's voice echoed off a grouping of rocks from his right. Due to his enhanced hearing and the scent of her, he knew exactly which rock she was hiding behind. He must have intruded on her late night swim. He found this oddly provocative. As he approached her hiding place, carrying the cloak over his arm, he could smell the tangy scent of the sea water mixing her own tantalizing fragrance. "Signorina?"

"My cloak, please, Signore?"

He caught a flash of light hair before it disappeared behind the rock again. He continued over to where she was hiding. "I fear if I toss this to you, it will miss its mark and get wet."

"I will take that chance, Signore."

He ran his tongue over the edge of his teeth. Her slight exasperation was amusing. "But I will not. You have my word that I will be a perfect gentleman." It wasn't the first time he had lied and, certainly, wouldn't be the last. He held the cloak open in front of him and turned his head. He could hear her wet footsteps as she made her way towards him. He spared one quick glance in her direction and that was all he needed. That super-human turn of his head allowed him to gather all the information he needed.

She was wearing a white shift, though with it being wet was completely unnecessary. The moon had bleached her skin of color, matching his own. But even with that quick glance, he could see the pulse in her neck, goosebumps on her fair skin and her scent was overwhelming when she slipped into the cloak he was holding. He fought the urge to grab her right there and drain her of her alluring blood. She resettled her hair and tugged the cloak tightly around her trembling frame.

"Thank you, Signore." She glanced up quickly and he saw she had emerald eyes. "I was certain I was alone tonight."

Intriguing...that was the only word that kept repeating itself in his mind. "You must always be careful, Signorina. You never know what lurks in the darkness." Thank the gods that his mouth still worked when his mind had stalled.

She laughed slightly at his comment and he realized he hadn't heard Sulpicia laugh in a very long time. Her demeanor had changed so much after Didyme's death, he feared she was suspicious of him. One touch and he realized suspicions were all she had and suspicions fade over time. The chill she exuded had yet to disappear though it was lessening. Perhaps that was why he was finding this human so alluring. Even his kind longed for love, gentleness and affection despite their violence. Could his blood lust be plain lust? Was that possible?

"You look troubled," she asked.

Reverently, she laid her hand on his cheek and he closed his eyes. Her thoughts swam through his already addled mind. Words spoken in her timber of voice echoed through his head: _beautiful...cold...strange...sad...vampire. _His eyes snapped open and her hand dropped back to her side. The sudden urge to leave her far behind overwhelmed him but the blush on her cheeks kept him rooted to the spot.

She pulled the cloak tighter around herself. "I'm sorry. I've overstepped my boundaries."

"Nonsense." Forcing a smile, he reached for her hand again and brought it up to his lips. "A touch from such a lovely lady as yourself is nothing that needs an apology." Her thoughts invaded his own once more. He searched for the word vampire again and was relieved that in her recent memories she had visited Volterra on St. Marcus Day. She was only attributing him as a vampire in her imagination. Aro realized that such feelings of relief were pointless. He was going to kill her anyway so whether she knew of his kinds existence was really a moot point. However, he did take delight in knowing she found him just as intriguing as he found her. Her brazenness was fading though and she gently slipped her hand from his. His mind went momentarily silent before it's usually chaos began again.

"I must go. If my uncle finds me missing..."

"I understand. But forgive me for being disappointed. I don't even know your name."

She smiled coyly. "I don't know yours either. Perhaps we can be introduced properly tomorrow evening."

It was all too easy. "Tomorrow evening it is."

He watched her walk up the sandy stretch of beach until she disappeared in the darkness. Even then he could make out her slight figure and counted five times she had turned around to see if he was still on the beach. His thirst remained but he could wait. He hadn't played with his prey in a while now and it felt good to flex these predatory muscles of his. Tomorrow...he would only have to wait till tomorrow.

* * *

It had been a troubling day. Marcus had barricaded himself once more inside Didyme's quarters and refused to emerge. Caius was more argumentative than normal, wanting to continue with the three trials that were set for the day but Aro had wanted to wait for Marcus. It was better to know where loyalties lie before punishing the guilty. Aro hated loose ends. Caius' thirst for violence shouldn't have surprised him. His brother always became restless after the full moon faded. Aro normally had patience with him but not today. He would have to be more careful though. He couldn't allow Caius to grow suspicious of these late night outings.

Aro shook his head slightly. This would be the last meeting with this woman. He would ask her name and promptly dispatch her. There would be no more need for the stealth and secrecy. It would be very simple. But as her fragrance rose above the salty sea scent, his resolve wavered. Why should he deny himself this wonderful distraction? Surely he could put off Caius and the guard for a few more days with placations and lies. No one would dare question him. That thought helped clear his mind from clutter. It had been awhile since he had interacted with a meal and he was curious to see how long he could keep up the facade.

"Good evening, Signore."

An easy smile spread across his face. "And good evening to you, Signorina." He offered her his hand which she gladly took. As he brought it to his lips, he could hear the strength of her pulse in her fine wrist. He swallowed his hunger and focused instead on her thoughts. They were more jumbled than last night. She was nervous, not of him but of being caught. How foolish. Her heart beat was fluttering at such a high rate, he was afraid she might pass out. That would do him no good so he released her hand and was instantly disappointed in the quiet of his own mind.

"I believe introductions are needed. I am Aro Volturi."

She repeated his name, as if trying each syllable on her tongue. Once again, he found himself intrigued with the way his name sounded on the lips of a human woman. Such formalities were never seen to during a typical feeding. It only caused his mouth to water more for her.

"I am Silvia Moretti."

It was his turn to try out the sounds. It was fascinating to speak the name of his prey. Aro wasn't certain he was comfortable with the formality. It made it...personal. There was an invisible line that he had just crossed and didn't realize was even there. His food had a name, just like he did. He was becoming uneasy but instead of wanting to end this, he only wanted to continue. It was very rare anymore he felt out of control.

"Are you from this area of Italy, Silvia?"

"No," she shook her head, wisps of blond curls dancing around her face. "I am visiting my Uncle for the summer months. I leave for Rome in the next week."

Aro clucked his tongue. "That is such a shame. I had rather hoped you lived here."

She gave him that sly smile again, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. "And why is that?"

"I find you a fascinating creature." The truth felt odd coming out of his mouth, as if he were speaking a foreign language. She laughed lightly at his comment and he feared she was making fun of him. "Why are you laughing?"

"I am far from fascinating." She started to walk down the shore line, toward the rocks where they met the previous night. "I am a politician's daughter whose father wishes to use as a political bargaining tool."

"And no one has taken him up on this," he grinned, "tool?"

Her nose wrinkled in disgust. "No, thank God." She quickly made the sign of the cross. "My apologies for such unbecoming language."

"I fail to find anything unbecoming about you."

She stopped suddenly and crossed her arms in front of her. "What is it you want, Signore Aro?"

He was struck with a sadness. He had hoped she could have told him what he wanted. However, she was, after all, just human. He wasn't sure which would be the best way to answer her question, so he carefully laid a hand on her smooth cheek. She enjoyed his flattering comments, his attention and he briefly wondered if human men were blind to such a vivacious woman. Fools, the whole lot of them.

"I want to enjoy the company of an intelligent woman," he moved closer to her and was rewarded when she didn't move away. "And gaze at her beauty all night long." Her pulse was racing once more and his thirst for her was overwhelming. Her mind was pleading for a kiss though the request would never leave her lips. He wasn't ready to give up the game yet so he let his hand slide from her cheek to her neck and he let her pulse beat against his thumb. He couldn't bite her if his hand was there. She shivered slightly, mentally commenting on how cold his hand was. She was getting ready to verbalize it when he kissed her.

It was much more difficult than he anticipated. The proximity, the intimacy of the moment, he thought he was going to drown. But he didn't. She retreated half a step, her face flushed even in the moonlight. If he had blood pumping through his veins at that moment, he no doubt would have had a similar reaction. Her thoughts had taken quite an impure turn and he wondered if she was going to make the sign of the cross once more. Her pulse beat incessantly under his thumb and he had to grind his teeth together to keep control.

"Signorina!" Someone called from the other side of the rocks. "Signorina Moretti!"

Aro fought back a smile at the flood of unladylike language that ran through her mind. Reluctantly, he released her neck. She worried her lower lip.

"I have to go," she whispered.

"I understand." He really didn't but he knew it was what she wanted to hear.

She reached and grabbed a hold of his arm. "Promise me you'll come back tomorrow."

"Of course, I will."

She swiftly pressed her lips against his cheek. It was only by sheer will that he managed to remain so still. Her neck was right there, it would be so easy...just a turn of his head...

But just as quickly as she had moved, she was gone. She gave him on last forlorn glance before disappearing once again in the darkness. He had no plan for his dealings with this woman and it scared him to realize he was enjoying it. The intrigue, mystery and conniving. It was exhilarating, to say the least. He hoped that this feeling meant his prize, when he finally gained it, would be all the more sweet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Twilight: Creation**

**Chapter Two**

He had killed his own sister to keep Marcus from leaving Volterra. Now, as he sat in the expansive library, trying to ignore the pacing and agitated Caius, Aro sincerely wished he could leave the fortressed city now. The sun had already sunk below the horizon which meant his meeting with Silvia was quickly slipping away. He couldn't tell which troubled him more, the thought of Silvia waiting for him or the fact that it bothered him.

"He can not stay locked up forever," Caius was fuming. "It is the second day and you still refuse to move on with the trials."

"Have you forgotten we are immortal?" Aro snapped. "We have forever."

Caius raised an eyebrow. "Am I keeping you from something?"

Aro stared out the window at the last streaks of color that were fading in the sky. "No."

"Good. Now perhaps we can deal with the issue at hand."

"And that is?"

"Marcus." Caius sighed. "I do not believe he is fit anymore to rule with us."

Aro knew this was coming but that didn't make it any easier to handle. "And what do you propose we do with him?"

Caius finally settled in the leather chair across from Aro and leveled him with a shrewd look. "How did you deal with Didyme?"

Aro stayed motionless, schooling his facial muscles not to reveal anything. "Pardon me?"

"There's been talk."

"Among who?" Aro allowed his temper to flare, hoping it would be perceived as righteous. "The guard? They know nothing without our telling them. And surely you wouldn't be getting your information from Athenodora and Sulpicia. Idle gossip of women searching for reason in a mindless act."

Caius brushed imaginary dust off of his robe. "If you say so."

The conversation and company were doing nothing for his foul mood that was growing fouler by the minute. If Caius suggested executing Marcus at that moment, Aro would gladly light the kindling for the bon fire. Marcus...Aro rubbed a hand over his face wearily. No, dispatching Marcus would do no one good right now. "We wait it out."

Caius gave him a curious look. "Wait what out?"

"Marcus. We will allow him his grief and this mourning period."

"Mourning period?" Caius stood up once more. "He's already had a mourning period for three hundred years! Isn't that enough?"

Aro bolted up from his chair so quickly it tipped it over. "Do you not realize three days ago was the anniversary of her death? Let him grieve."

The tall blond looked him right in the eye. "Did you kill her?"

Aro's jaw clenched. Her own gift was what damned her, not him. He was only guilty of speeding up fate or so he allowed himself to take comfort in that excuse. "No."

Caius backed down slightly. "I see." He started for the door but paused. "I hope you realize I will not hesitate to deal with weak links."

Resigned, Aro picked up the chair and righted it. "I understand and agree. I will speak with Marcus. We will have all seven trials tomorrow, with or without him."

* * *

"You've been speaking with Marcus."

Aro pinched the bridge of his nose. He had wasted the entire night trying to communicate with the dead-eyed Marcus. He had completely forfeited his meeting with Silvia and had retreated to the tower balcony that overlooked the courtyard. "If you could call it 'talking.'"

Sulpicia moved silently to his side. Her pale face may have been unreadable but her eyes were not. She was worried. "Will he ever let go of her?"

Aro knew better than to answer that question out loud. Of course Marcus would never let go of Didyme. He held on because of love, but Didyme held on to Aro with the talons of guilt. Neither one of them would ever be free of her. Aro clenched his jaw to the point of it cracking. Didyme had become more powerful through her destruction than she ever had been in life. What if he had made a mistake by killing the wrong vampire?

Sulpicia laid a hand on his tensed jaw. "Dear Aro-"

He grabbed her wrist and removed her hand. "I do not want your pity, woman."

She huffed indignantly and easily twisted out of his grasp. "Had you not been buckling under this load you carry, you would see it is not pity I am giving you."

"And what is this load I am carrying?"

She raised her chin in pride, the moonlight reflected in her eyes, washing out the crimson. She looked like a Greek goddess made from organic marble. She answered in one word that was filled with fear, awe and majesty. "Leadership."

"Leadership?"

"Why do empires fall? Certainly you have recorded enough histories to understand the fragility of the mind that is constantly on alert. A leader must carefully select those who surround them, choose between those who will benefit from their elevated position and those who would allow the power to corrupt them. You must be constantly vigilant, searching out deception but rewarding loyalty. It is a lonely road you have chosen, my love, and a very heavy burden to carry."

"Which is why Caius and Marcus rule with me, we all shoulder the burden."

She made a soft humming sound. "And what good has Marcus been doing for you in these last few centuries?"

"Plenty." Aro turned away from the deep eyes of his wife. "He has done plenty for me...for us. He may be given to bouts of silence and grief but when someone's loyalty starts to waver, he comes to me. We stopped Simon last month from starting a coupe with Marcus' insight."

"Then forgive me for speaking out of turn, husband."

Aro unlocked his jaw and relaxed his shoulders. "There is no forgiveness needed." Not on her part anyway. His annoyance at not seeing Silvia tonight was still there but it felt wrong to think of the warm, human woman while staring at his own wife. He couldn't help but draw comparisons though.

She laid a hand on his arm. "Come, it will soon be dawn. You have not rested and trials begin in the morning."

He slipped his hand under hers and allowed her thoughts to wash over his own. He appreciated her thoughts. Unlike her quiet, soft spoken nature, her thoughts ran deep and intricate. It made her insight useful in heavy matters, such as the one tonight. He brushed his lips over her cold fingertips. "Lovely Sulpicia..."

A sly smile tugged at her mouth and a sudden onslaught of images rushed into his mind's eye of things to come. A dark room with rich tapestries...tangled sheets...a broken headboard.

"What a shame," he crooned, pulling her closer to him, "I had that bed imported from France."

"Perhaps we can spare the bed this time."

"I will not make that promise." He settled his lips over hers, trying to ignore the coldness of her skin and the lack of pulse beneath his fingers. But he couldn't manage it. He wanted to feel warmth under his hands, see a flush come over her cheeks, hear a heartbeat thudding in his ears...he wanted to fight the war between his blood lust and his left over human lust. He waited until Sulpicia pulled away from him. "Perhaps another night though."

Her countenance became guarded. "Very well. Perhaps tomorrow night then."

He gave the best smile he could manage. "Perhaps."

* * *

It had been a day of surprises. Marcus had attended the trials, dead eyed and apathetic, but his presence seemed to soothe Caius' nerves. Aro had carried out the trials and executions under the worried eyes of Carlisle and wondered how much longer the golden eyed vampire would continue in Volterra. There wasn't much more he could learn from the Volturi and his uncomfortableness was beginning to wear on Aro's nerves.

He had managed to make it through the trials, nine total thanks to Marcus seeing two wavering dissidents, with the mask of indifference, the face of true justice. Caius always liked to linger around the bonfire, discuss evidence and strategy but Aro was able to politely disengage from his brother's conversation. He quickly changed clothes, ridding himself of the sickly sweet smell from the fire that had clung to him, and left Volterra behind as soon as the sun slunk below the horizon. During his race to the Mediterranean Seashore, he tried running through various apologies, wondering which one would work on Silvia.

If he could touch her just once, briefly, he could get a measure of her thoughts and know how to proceed. His desperation for her forgiveness confused him. She was a human...food, nothing more. No one apologizes to their food, especially a Volturi. But the thought of her leaving for Rome, carrying feelings of animosity towards him put a very unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. There was no more thirst now, just this fluttering motion and it annoyed him.

He paced up and down the beach, a flurry of emotions rising and falling like the tide. She wasn't here. He expected that but it still grated on his frayed nerves. The moon rose and settled in the middle of the sky while he walked and waited. He couldn't wait for too long or dawn would come and his night would be wasted. That would do him no good.

He went past the rocks that she had disappeared behind the last night he had seen her and walked up the path she had followed. When he reached the underbrush that divided the beach from the grass, he stopped and stilled. Closing his eyes, he pushed all emotions away, concentrating only on his senses. There was no one around. Only animals scavenging in the dark of night, much like him. He inhaled deeply, trying to pick up her scent from the salty tang of the sea. When he opened his eyes, he had found her.

Her uncle's home was quite close to the sea. It made sense to him why she felt so free to sneak down to the waters for late night swim. There was plenty of foliage to act as cover for the trip down to the shore. Aro walked the perimeter of the home, sniffing the air for her delicious scent. He found her room on the back of the house, a candle flickering dimly against the glass. It was just his luck that her room had a balcony garden. Climbing up to the patio took no effort and he stood, staring into her room like an unrepentant peeping tom.

She was reading by the dim candlelight dressed in a silk dressing gown. Her golden hair was loose, a mess of curls that tumbled down to her elbows. Once again, Aro found himself wondering how an ordinary human could hold such a sway over him. Curiosity was quickly turning into something else but he didn't know what and that only fueled his curiosity even more.

He lightly rapped on the glass door with his knuckles and her head turned sharply in his direction. Her green eyes widened and she cinched her dressing gown tighter as she made her way over to the doors. Instead of opening them, she merely stood there with her arms crossed and a stormy look on her face. His mind couldn't come up with anything to say but that didn't stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth.

"I am truly sorry for last night," he began. "Though no excuse is reasonable for my absence, please understand that it was an urgent family matter that called me away from you."

Her face softened fractionally. Family...family must mean very much to her so Aro played on that fact.

"My brother just lost his wife, you see, and is given to bouts of melancholy and grief. It simply was not right to leave him alone in such a state. I fear desperately for his safety."

A touch of sadness was entering her eyes.

"I hope you can understand my dilemma." He placed a hand over where his heart should have been beating. "A grief stricken brother or a beautiful woman. My heart was aching no matter which I chose."

The lock on the door unlatched and Aro forced his triumphant smile into one of gracious thankfulness.

"You are too kind, sweet Silvia." He took her hand and briefly kissed it before holding it between his own two. Her thoughts were still tinged with anger towards him and he didn't blame her. She waited out on the beach until dawn for him. "Your power of forgiveness astounds me."

"As it should." Her voice was sharp but there was a subtle hint of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. "However, a grieving brother is an acceptable excuse."

He stepped into her room and had to hold his breath. It smelled so strongly of her, he almost lost control of his self restraint. She was all around him now and he was shaking from the strain it was putting on him. But he had keep up the mask of a penitent suitor. "However can I make up my indiscretion to you?" Whatever it was, he hoped it would be outside.

She sat down in front of her mirror and started to pin her hair up, completely unnerved at having the presence of a man, a relatively unknown man, in her bedchambers. "I will have to think about this."

Before he could stop himself, Aro was pulling the pins out of her hair. "You do not need to do that." Sulpicia always pinned her hair up. She always looked perfect and perfection was not what he wanted right now.

"What are you doing here, Aro?"

That was the question of the century. He crouched down beside her so they were on eye level and wrapped one of her curls around his finger. "I really do not know." He was speaking that foreign language of truth once again. "You are just...a siren to me."

Her fine eyebrow raised. "A siren?" She laid a hand on his cheek, her fingers ghosting over his cheekbones. "A siren always has a call. What is mine to you?"

Of course it was her blood but he couldn't tell her that. Her warm hands were still on his face, her quiet thoughts settled his mind. The bloodlust was becoming easier to control despite her scent being overwhelming and her pulse so close to his ear. What was her siren call? "Everything about you calls to me."

She smiled briefly. "You are forgiven."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **First of all, I just want to say a huge thank you to my reviewers! I so appreciate you taking the time to read this story and to leave a review! Thank you, thank you! Second, I took a lot of artistic liberty with this chapter. I really wanted to explore some of the Volturi characters. I tried very hard to keep them in character but since we don't know too much about some of the characters, I used my own interpretations. With that, please enjoy!

**Twilight: Creation**

**Chapter Three**

"Who is she?"

Aro started slightly at the sound of Marcus' quiet voice behind him. "Marcus, what a surprise. To what do I owe this visit?"

Marcus ghosted over to the edge of the balcony, staying just a few inches shy of the hot Tuscan sun. "I may have changed greatly since," he paused, "_her _death but I am not blind."

Aro tried not to shift uncomfortably. "What do you mean, brother?"

Marcus' deep set eyes remained fixed somewhere off on the horizon. When he spoke, despite the words he used, there was no joy in his tone. It was resigned, disappointed almost. "You are in love."

"Of course I am," Aro laughed. "Sulpicia has always-"

"Not Sulpicia. There is someone else." It was an accusation, not a question. "Who is she?"

Aro's jaw tightened. "That is not your concern." Caius was the argumentative one, not Marcus. This was highly unusual. "Why are you here?"

Marcus folded in on himself, as if all the energy he had summed up to speak had suddenly left him. "Be careful, brother and use discretion. Love requires a delicate balance of irrational thought and quiet discretion."

Aro waited to see if Marcus would continue but he remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. It didn't take long for Aro to follow Marcus' example. Irrational thought and quiet discretion...Aro remembered when Didyme and Marcus' laughter would echo down the marble halls of their home, even in dark times. They had been so secretive at first, even Aro wasn't aware of their developing relationship until Didyme told him. He remembered that day as if it were yesterday.

_He could hear her singing. Didyme's linting aria floated into the library from the open window. Summer had come to Tuscany, the sun baking Volterra with its heat. It was the favorite season among most of the Volturi. Aro closed the ledger he had been writing in and decided to find his song bird of a sister. It didn't take long to locate her. Thanks to the high courtyard wall, they were free to move about in the sun. Didyme was barefoot, dancing in the fountain in the center of the courtyard, the sun sending thousands of prisms across the stone walls. She was so beautiful, blinding and happy._

"_Hello, brother," she sang to him from the water. Her dress, though pulled up to her knees, was soaking._

_Aro couldn't help but smile. "What are you doing, dear one?"_

"_It was so hot today," she grinned, shaking droplets of water out of her hair. "I had to cool myself."_

_He shook his head. Temperatures did not affect them as they did humans. Her excuse lacked substance and truth. "And what is the real reason for this wet, barefooted dance of joy?"_

_She smiled so wide it was just as blinding as her skin. "I'm in love."_

_In love? This brought a whole new perspective on their kind. He had always worked under the assumption that when a human was changed into a vampire, the soul was removed from them during that process. No soul, no emotions...no more falling in love. But how could he argue with the look of radiance on his little sister's face._

"_Who is it?"_

_She laughed lightly, the noise blending with the falling water behind her, and lifted her gaze up to one of the balconies. Aro followed her eyes to see Marcus gazing down at her, the same bright smile reflected on his face._

In love...it had been a novel concept for him back then and a marvel one now. He could hear the fountain below them and that only seemed to amplify Didyme's absence. Their entire home had always been filled with music and laughter but since Didyme's loss, the halls had been silent. There had been a time when even Caius would smile.

Marcus turned away from the sun and started to leave, pausing only to lay a hand on Aro's shoulder. "I still miss her."

Aro knew better than to touch him. He didn't know if he could take Marcus' thoughts right now, knowing they would be filled with pain. Instead, he just nodded his head. "I know. I miss her too." And it wasn't a lie.

* * *

"You seem so sad tonight." Silvia peered through the darkness. "What are you thinking of?"

Aro forced a smile. "My apologies. I am afraid it is a bad habit on mine to allow my mind to wander."

Silvia moved closer to him, curling into his side and pulling the wool cloak tighter around them. They had spent the majority of the night in the second floor garden outside her room, hidden with palms and wisteria. It was easier on Aro to be this close to her with the heady scent of flowers permeating the air. "How is your brother doing?"

"Better. Today was...difficult."

"How long has she been gone?"

Aro twisted one of Silvia's golden curls around his finger. "A year." Or three hundred. It didn't really matter to Marcus or him. It could have been yesterday that he had seen her ashes scattered in the clearing of the woods.

"How did she die?"

He could tell Silvia the truth. He could tell her about how he surprised her while out hunting. How she never saw her killer, how that was the only time since being turned he wished he could shed tears. How he could still smell the sickly sweet scent of the fire he had set and how it still made him sick in what was left of his soul.

_Ashes, ashes, we all fall down._

If anyone knew the truth, it would destroy the Volturi. He couldn't tell Silvia, even if he would kill her. It was a secret he had carried for three centuries and would have to carry for millennia to come. So he told her the story he had concocted for his brothers.

"My family is well respected and influential. There was another family in Romania that wished to take that respect and influence. Instead, they took my brother's wife. Our retaliation was swift and merciless. She was avenged and the Romanians leave us in peace to this day."

"You are a very secretive man." She laced her fingers in between his. "And so very cold."

Aro closed his eyes and allowed her content thoughts to surround his own tortured ones. Memories of Didyme in the fountain, in the woods, were quickly replaced with Silvia's. Her own memories were haunting her this night, however. "Tell me about your mother. You do not speak of her at all."

Silvia sighed and resettled herself in the crook of his arm. "My mother died when I was young. I do not remember much about her."

Aro riffled through the few memories of Silvia's mother and found her to be telling the truth. There were vague memories of a woman who look much like Silvia herself. Many of them were very happy but that didn't take away the edge of a sad tinge of the memory. Aro pressed his lips against her forehead. "I suppose we both have had our share of grief."

She smiled up at him. "But joy will always come as well."

Aro certainly hoped so.

* * *

It had been a long time since they had hunted together as group. Aro was growing impatient with all the duties that were required of him while Silvia's days at her uncle's estate were coming to a close. She would be back to Rome in three days. Rome was harder to hide in than the country estate she was residing in now. He could still see her, it would just take more planning and stealth. But he owed his brothers a family hunt, if anything to keep suspicions minimal.

Sulpicia stayed by his side, whether out of want to be near her mate or just to keep a watchful eye on him, he didn't know nor did he care. The last time he had checked her thoughts, she was fearing he was losing his sanity, not his heart. He allowed her to think that it was the strain of power that was making him distant and snappish. She had no where to go and he could always make amends with her at a later time.

Caius and Athenodora were practically jubilant, darting through the trees, following the scent of travelers like demented children searching for sweets. Athenadora's razor sharp laughter bounced around the forest and every once in a while, Aro could see flashes of Caius' white blond hair through the dark branches. In stark contrast to the feral energy of Caius and his mate, Marcus was a wraith. Virtually unseen in the darkness, it was easy to forget he was even hunting with them.

"How much farther?" Sulpicia asked. Aro picked up on the slightly annoyed tone in her voice and suppressed a chuckle. She always preferred to have her meals brought to her rather than go after them.

Athenodora suddenly appeared by her side, all flashing teeth and red-gold hair. "We are almost there, dear cousin." She twirled around them. "There are eight total. All young and-"

"Dearest," Caius had rejoined them, taking his mate's hand, "let us not spoil the surprise for the others."

She laughed once more and continued to dance around Caius as if he were a maypole. Aro wondered once again how gentle Didyme managed to survive with her two sisters, the silent Sulpicia and the bloodthirsty Athenodora. It seemed every choice he made concerning Didyme did nothing but damn her in the end.

"You are thinking about her again."

Aro momentarily forgot how to breathe despite the fact it wasn't a necessary function. "Who?"

"Didyme," Sulpicia sighed. "You have been spending too much time with Marcus."

"There are worse things to do with my time," he snapped.

"There are also better things to do with your time."

"Such as?"

Sulpicia's response was cut short by screams. Caius, Athenodora and Marcus must have found the travelers they were hunting. Sulpicia gave him a hard, knowing look, one that normally would have instigated a touch for him to see the depth of her mind. But he couldn't bring himself to touch her right now. He didn't want his mind filled with the treacherous, suspicious thoughts that she held about him right now. Feeding didn't even appeal to him at the moment. All he wanted was Silvia, with her gentle nature, kindness and warmth.

* * *

Time had no meaning to him until now, until it had run out. The darkness of night was slowly being leeched away by the dawn. It was the morning Silvia would be returning to Rome and with all the supernatural powers he had at his hands, Aro couldn't stop the sun from rising. Silvia reached out and touched his face, her thoughts identical to his own.

"I can try to convince my father that I need to return here in a few months," she offered.

He didn't know if he could survive a few months without seeing her. Instead, he merely nodded, untangled the sheets just enough to pull her closer to him. He could change her. It was a thought he had been entertaining for the last few days. The only thing that stopped him was Sulpicia. How could he explain the other woman to his wife? He shied away from killing his current mate, the guilt of Didyme keeping him in check.

He also was not sure if he could cause Silvia that much pain. There had been a couple times he had his teeth bared, centimeters from her neck and could not go through with harming her. Instead, much to his surprise, he had placed gentle kisses along the line of her throat. While he was thinking about it, he pressed a kiss against her carotid artery, able to withstand the temptation of feeling her pulse against his lips. There was no bloodlust anymore. There was no human lust. There was just want...need...Silvia.

She propped herself up on her elbow and gazed down at him through the mess of her curls. "You were better tonight."

He raised an eyebrow. "I do not know whether to be offended or complimented."

She laughed lightly and held out her other arm. "I only have to hide two bruises today. I did not realize how strong you are."

Neither did he, honestly. He took her offered arm and kissed the finger shaped bruises that were visible. Considering he could have broken all her bones with a careless grip, their love making sessions the last two nights could have ended quite disastrously. He was very proud of himself for the level of restraint he apparently showed. "You are just too delicate, my Silvia, like fine china or imported silk."

She tipped her head forward, her hair falling around them like a curtain. "I am going to miss your flattering words."

Aro inhaled deeply. Her scent still sent a rush of venom into his mouth but he now had the restraint to swallow it. Her scent was something to be treasured, remembered. "I do not flatter you. I only speak the truth."

She smiled and kissed him sweetly on the lips. "I like your truth."

His hands ghosted over the planes of her face before burying themselves in her hair. "My truth is lovely. There is nothing not to like."

She sighed, sadness touching on the edge of her thoughts. "It is almost dawn."

"Promise me something?"

She lifted her eyes to meet his. Tears were leaking out of the corners and he wiped them away with his thumb.

"Leave your window open two weeks from today. I will come visit you in Rome."

She shook her head. "That is so far for you to come."

"It is a mere jaunt."

"Very well," she agreed and a smile found its way back to her face.

They dressed sporadically, between a flurry of kisses and lingering touches. The sun was just barely breaking over the horizon when they shared their final kiss and good bye. As Aro started the journey back to Volterra, he realized this was the second time in his everlasting life he wished for the ability to cry.

* * *

Sulpicia stood by the fountain in the courtyard. Aro was absent from Volterra yet again. She scowled deeply, wondering what it was now that could occupy his time. She hated to admit it but the small tendril of fear was starting to wrap itself around her mind. She trailed her fingers through the water, her own thoughts drifting back to when Didyme was present. She had loved the little vampire as if she were her own blood sister. She supposed, in a way, all six of them were related by blood...the blood of those they hunted, whether for power or sustenance.

Well, five of them now. Sulpicia didn't come into her second life with a gift like Aro's or Marcus', a thing that bothered her at first. Then Aro touched her hand and exclaimed at what a deep mind she had, the kind of mind he could spend centuries exploring. And he did, for the few centuries, then other interests stole him from her. She still had her mind though and discovered that she was able to tuck various thoughts and memories away where even Aro couldn't reach them. She counted on this mental trick to keep her safe now.

"Felix said you wanted to see me, my lady?"

Sulpicia kept her back turned, not wanting to see the vampire that barely made a noise as he stepped out of the foliage of the courtyard. "Yes, Demetri. I need to ask a favor of you but it requires the utmost discretion."

"Of course, my lady."

Sulpicia fought back a small smile. Her father and uncle had been the leaders of a Greek coven a thousand years ago. They realized their beautiful daughters needed protection from the other covens that wanted to possess the statuesque cousins. Felix had been her personal guard, strong and capable of defending her. Demetri had been assigned to Athenodora. Her cousin had always had a penchant for running away and finding herself in trouble. It only made sense that the best tracker in the world would be assigned to watch over the unruly Athenodora. But then the Volturi brothers came to Greece and everything changed. The wind picked up, ruffling the cloak Demetri was wearing. Well, somethings remained the same, such as Demetri and Felix's loyalties.

"I need you to follow Aro the next time he leaves Volterra. I would like to know what has captured his attention so much this last week."

"I will do it, my lady."

It was a heavy assignment. If Aro were to become suspicious of Demetri's loyalty, it would mean the end of the tracker. Sulpicia hoped her favor with Aro and the power of Demetri's tracking ability would be enough to save the vampire. If not, she feared they both may suffer the same fate as dear Didyme.


	4. Chapter 4

**Twilight: Creation**

**Chapter Four**

Finding Silvia in Rome was much more difficult than Aro anticipated. The city was growing, spreading and twisting out into the Italian countryside. As he wandered through the serpentine streets of the capital, it only encouraged him of the decision he and his brothers had made in settling in Volterra. It would have been next to impossible for a coven their size to hide in the ever expanding Rome. Volterra's fortified walls cut the city off from expanding any further. Their castle like home under the clock tower would never be discovered unless the city fell.

He found the building Silvia had told him about a couple weeks prior, but the window that should have been hers was dark and closed. Aro frowned. Did she forget him that quickly? His hope at seeing her again quickly faded into anger with a tinge of worry. Had her father discovered their, for lack of better word, relationship? Whatever had happened between them was something that surpassed words. Perhaps she had fallen ill and couldn't see him. He could debate and rationalize all night but that would get him no answers. The hour was late and the night was moonless so no one should see him as he climbed the trellis up to her room.

The window was unlocked and he quickly slipped inside the room. Silvia was not there though her scent was. She had been there in the past two weeks but that comforting scent that was hers alone was faded. Her bed was unmade, the blankets and sheets twisted from restless sleep. He ran a hand over her pillow, inhaling deeply at what was left of her fragrance. A slightly odd tang of salt was present...tears. She had been crying and that lessened the anger but increased the worry.

Her armoire was still partially filled with clothes, though there were some gaps. Whoever packed did it very quickly and quite messily. It didn't make any sense. He had listened on the street earlier today, had even seen her father, and no one mentioned anything about a family crisis or an illness. From an observer's perspective, the Moretti family was a healthy, happy family. So why the disastrous state of Silvia's bedroom? Aro heard footsteps coming towards the door and stepped into the shadows.

The door opened and a maid entered quietly, not quite shutting the door behind her. Aro watched the young woman, no older than fifteen, start to open drawers in Silvia's nightstand. A red haze of anger clouded his eyesight as he watched the girl pocket shiny things such as earrings, bracelets and necklaces. When she neared the armoire, Aro stepped out of the shadows.

"Good evening, my dear."

She emitted a high squeak but preservation quickly silenced the noise. She knew what would happen to her if the master of the house found her pilfering his daughters belongings. "Who are you?" she asked, her heart hammering so hard Aro was having a hard time concentrating.

"I am a friend of Signorina Moretti."

The girl's fear quickly subsided. "So, you are the one."

Confusion won over bloodthirst. "What do you mean?"

The maid opened the armoire and started unabashedly going through the clothes. Whatever it was, she believed there was some secret camaraderie between them now. "Master Moretti sent his daughter away because she is with child."

The battle was over before it even started. Curiosity had lost to anger and the maid's dead body hit the floor before Aro even realized he had moved. The words "with child" echoed around his skull like a swarm of angry bees. She had lied to him. There was someone else, another suitor, she had been entertaining at the same time she had captured whatever had been left of his heart. A human woman had played him for a fool and won the game.

* * *

"Rome?" Sulpicia frowned. "Whatever could be in Rome?"

"He went to a politician's home, my lady," Demetri said. "A Signor Moretti."

Sulpicia pulled her cloaked closer around her body. The early morning was damp, though it had no physical effect on her, the feeling seemed to permeate her being. "Did Aro have any conversations with Signor Moretti?"

It was Demetri's turn to frown. "No, Ma'am. He did kill a maid though. It would have thrown the household in a uproar but I disposed of the body before it was found."

"A maid?" This was most unlike Aro. If he had gone to a prominent politician's home in Rome, it most certainly would have nothing to do with a mere maid. "Does this politician have a wife?"

"His wife is deceased. She died many years ago of a fever."

"What about a daughter?"

"Yes, Ma'am. He does have a daughter, Silvia."

Sulpicia fought the growl that was growing in her chest. "Was the daughter present at the home last night?"

"No Ma'am. I overheard some of the maids saying that she was sent away a few days ago. She was in an," Demetri paused, "indelicate condition."

A strange feeling of satisfaction filled Sulpicia. If Aro's interest had been in Silvia, then it served him right. The trespasser had been trespassed against. Justice had come to her aid and she didn't have to lift a finger. "Thank you, Demetri. I appreciate your loyalty in this matter."

"It is my pleasure, my lady. Would you like me to continue trailing him should he leave again?"

Sulpicia thought for a moment. Disloyalty was a crime Aro refused to let go unpunished. If this woman had betrayed him in any way, he would require payment. However, his fascination with this woman was very surprising to her. "Yes, Demetri. If he leaves Volterra again without an escort, follow him."

Fate may had sided with her this night but there was still a chance she no longer knew her husband or what he was capable of doing.

* * *

Aro spent two months in a haze of hurt and fury. Marcus regarded him out of the corner of his eye with quiet understanding while Caius seemed to appreciate the new, violent side to Aro's dealings. There were good things that came out of his anger. For one, there was no mercy shown to anyone who came before the trio of brothers which only instilled more fear in the vampire community. Secondly, the animal eating Carlisle finally had enough of the viciousness one week into Aro's temper tantrum and left. Aro didn't know where the golden eyed vampire had gone but he did try to wish the strange immortal his best. No sense in burning bridges if there was no need.

The other good thing that came out of his discovery was Sulpicia seemed much more content now that his nights were spent with her again. However, after two months of being around her and her labyrinthine mind, he yearned for the simplicity of Silvia. Her deception still angered him but once again his curiosity was starting to override his smarted ego. He knew her thoughts, better then she knew them herself. At no time did she have disloyalty in her mind. There was so much that was not making sense. By the time the moon rose on the beginning of the third month, he decided to return to Rome.

He was shocked by the change that had come over the Moretti household. Most of the windows were darkened, the home was silent and an uneasiness came over him. He went into Silvia's room again but the atmosphere was different. Someone had come in and made the bed up as well as straightening the rest of the room. There was a staleness in the air, there was...no life present anymore. The uneasiness was becoming stronger and Aro quickly left the room. He took to pacing around the perimeter of the home, waiting for something, anything to change in silent building. Finally, one of the maids came outside, most likely going home for the night.

"Pardon me, Signora."

The maid jumped and her hand instinctively clutched a pendant around her neck. Aro smiled. A cross was in her withered hand. How quaint.

"My apologies, I did not mean to frighten you."

She frowned disapprovingly at him but didn't relinquish the hold on her cross. "What can I do for you, Signore?"

"The young woman who lived in this house, where is she now?"

The old woman clutched her cross tighter and made the sign of the cross in her free hand. "She is with the angels now, Signore."

He was thankful his heart had already stopped beating. "What do you mean?"

"A little over a month ago, Signorina Moretti gave birth to a devil child." The old woman cursed in Italian and spit on the ground. "The fiendish little thing ripped its way out of her. We tried to save her but the damage was too great. She begged us, the nuns and maids, that we would care for the child." She spit again on the ground. "Thank God for nuns. I wanted to drown the thing but they took the demon into their church. Let God deal with it, that is what I say."

There were only a few churches in Rome that would have the resources to care for a child in secrecy. Aro thanked the old woman for her help before promptly dispatching her. After the body was drained and hidden at a safe distance from the city limits, he doubled back and headed for the nearest church. The idea of wiping out the nuns and priests did not sit well with him. He would have to settle for merely observing the child for a few days before devising a plan concerning the clergy. He didn't want to think about Silvia right now. Her loss left him with a feeling he couldn't explain. As he passed by the outer wall of the churchyard, he could hear movement on the other side. He found a loose rock and pulled it out of the wall. When he peered through the space, he froze.

A child, who looked to be about three years old, was playing in the small fountain. Her black hair was curly, the exact curls of Silvia. Her skin seemed to glow in the moonlight and she moved with far more grace than any human should have. But the curl in the hair was the only thing reminiscent of Silvia. Aro had to lean against the wall for support. It couldn't be...it just couldn't. Then, she laughed, a peal of tiny bells.

"Get that child out of the fountain!" someone shouted.

Aro watched as a young nun hurried out into the courtyard, a blanket in her hand. "My apologies, Ma'am. She is just so quick-"

"I do not care how fast she is," came the snappish reply. "Get control of her."

The younger nun wrapped the blanket around the dancing child and pulled her out of the water. "Whatever are you doing, child?"

"I wanted to play in the water and sing the song that you taught me." The child's diction was perfect, her voice was smooth and lilting.

The nun dried the child off. "How about you dance around the fountain instead and sing your song?"

She seemed to consider this and bobbed her head. "Very well."

Once the child was sufficiently dry, she was released to continue her dance. She skipped around the cobblestone courtyard, lingering water droplets falling from her hair. In her pitch perfect voice, she began singing.

"Ring around the rosie, pocket full of posie-"

Aro shoved the loose rock back into the wall and quickly left the church. No matter how fast he moved, he couldn't get away from the child before the eerie phrase reached his ears.

_Ashes, ashes, we all fall down._

Then he realized what that feeling was when he learned of Silvia's death...fear.

* * *

"A child?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Sulpicia's mind was running in circles. Demetri had brought her good, though confusing, news that evening. This Silvia Moretti had passed away two months ago in childbirth so that distraction had been dealt with by Fate herself. But now a conundrum. How did a child come into play in this matter?

"Are you certain that this child was Silvia Moretti's?"

Demetri shifted from one foot to another. "I know it does not make sense, my lady, but yes, I do."

"But you said yourself the child looks to be at least three years old. Surely this can not be the child that caused Signorina Moretti's death."

"There is much about the child that is...irregular, my lady."

Sulpicia gazed out at the dawn tinged city of Volterra. "What are these irregularities then?"

Demetri's eyes shifted to the floor. "I was able to speak to one of the nun's that has been caring for the child. She was able to tell me that the child grew rapidly, in both size and intelligence. She speaks on the same level as an adult, had memorized the first five books of the Old Testament and can sing full arias in perfect pitch."

"Is she," Sulpicia swallowed, "like us at all?"

Demetri nodded his head. "Her skin is virtually impenetrable. She has a full set of teeth but is not venomous."

"How do you know this?"

"The nun admitted to being bitten when the child first arrived."

Sulpicia nodded, knowing better than to ask what happened to the nun. "But you said she has a heartbeat and blood?"

"Yes, Ma'am. She survives on human food though she seems to crave blood."

She could only imagine what was going through Aro's mind right now. The possibilities of being able to father children that had the best of both worlds: a soul, heart and the powers of a vampire, would be too great for him to leave alone. This very well could take her husband away from her forever. And what of Athenodora? If Aro told Caius of this possibility, both wives could be dispatched quite easily as they paraded human wives in and out of Volterra. If their lives were spared, their pride most certainly would be sacrificed as a harem would be created. "What is Aro going to do with this mess now?"

Demetri cleared his throat. "If I may offer my opinion, my lady?"

Sulpicia nodded her head. After everything he had done for her so far, the tracker deserved at least to be heard. "Go ahead."

"I do not think Master Aro will pursue this possibility. It is my belief he will observe the child's development and then destroy her. I do not think he will want anyone, especially Marcus, to see or even know about the child's existence."

"What makes you think that?"

Demetri shifted his weight again, suddenly nervous. When he spoke, it was barely a whisper. "The child looks like Didyme."

**Author's Note: **I know I crammed a lot of action into this chapter and I do realize some of it contradicts what was said in Breaking Dawn (the knowledge of vampire/human hybrids, Aro acting as if it was the first time he had seen one and so on). It will be addressed and explained throughout the story, but I am aware of the contradictions. Thank you so much for reading and an extra heap of thanks for leaving a review!


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Okay, this chapter was very interesting to write. There's a lot more character development going on here and it's just one of those chapters that I'm not sure how I wrote it, I just did it. My opinion and interpretation of the characters is very strong in this chapter. I hope I don't disappoint.

**Twilight: Creation**

**Chapter Five**

Marcus stared out one of the high windows of the tower watching the occasional cloud pass in front of the pane of glass. There was a trial in progress but he had already played his part. There were no lingering ties between the condemned and the witnesses. The only bond in the room that had changed slightly was the one that tied Demetri to Aro. It wasn't weak in the sense of rebellion but rather suspicion. The strength was that of Marcus' own tie to Aro: reluctant, wary loyalty.

Given Aro's ever changing temperament lately, it did not surprise Marcus that Sulpicia had asked the tracker to turn spy for her. The bonds between the wives and their original guardians would never be completely erased. A fact that Aro knew and disregarded, foolishly believing if Felix and Demetri were faithful to their mistresses, they would remain faithful to their masters. Marcus quickly let that thought go, not wanting to bring suspicion on Demetri. He rather liked the tracker as he was one of the guard Marcus chose to converse with whenever the desire struck him, which was not that often.

"Marcus?"

It was Caius this time that had hissed his name, a not so gentle reminder that he needed to pay attention to the trial. Marcus waved his hand dismissively, signaling there were no ties. Didn't he already do this? Then he noticed it was a new vampire before them, one that did have a tie to someone in the crowd. Marcus raised his hand and slowly stood, his eyes following the red thread of passion.

A small, heart-shape faced vampire was on the other end of the bond. Her crimson eyes flicked back and forth from the male vampire before them and to Marcus himself. Her jaw was tight, her eyes pleading with him. She wanted to die too. She wanted to die with her mate. He had seen it before, only a handful of times, where mates were so strongly tied that killing one was just as good as killing the other. He saw it every time he passed in front of a mirror. She was still staring at him, boldly and pleading at the same time. He could not deny her the same thing that had been denied him.

"There," he whispered and pointed directly at her. The sea of onlookers parted and she strode forward, proudly taking her mate's hand. Caius gave a minute shake of his head, the slight movement filled with disgust while Aro had a strange compilation of emotions flit across his face. Marcus didn't catch all of it but there was a definite sadness, bordering on regret.

"No," Aro suddenly spoke. "She is not the offender. Release her."

Caius was too shocked to say anything, a rarity to say the least. Marcus leaned towards Aro. "Killing him is the same as killing her. Be done with it."

By this time, Caius had found his voice. "Marcus saw the bond between them. She stands ready to die, let her."

The choice should have been easy for Aro. He could side with Caius' violent reasoning or Marcus' merciful one. Either way, the two vampires before them would be killed. There was no choice to be made and Marcus resumed his lethargic position on the elaborate throne. It was just a matter of time before Aro saw both must be put to death.

"No," came the quiet response from Aro. "Release her."

Marcus closed his eyes. He knew what would come and he didn't want to observe it. He had seen the determination in the woman's face. He was unsurprised at the feral snarl that was emitted from the woman as she launched herself at the three brothers. Her mate followed her foolhardy action but the battle was one that would never start. Jane, who was a perfect mix of Caius' brutality and Aro's diplomacy in the form of an innocent child, had both vampires incapacitated while Felix and Demetri torn them apart.

When the fire was started, Marcus looked over at Aro. "Why?"

Aro drummed his fingers against the arm of his own throne. "Her punishment was to live without her mate."

"And that is a burden too heavy for anyone to carry regardless of their crime." Marcus hadn't realized he had spoken the words until Aro's eyes flashed angrily towards him.

"Everyone loses people that they love, Marcus. Most move past the loss and do not wallow in self pity and apathy."

Before Marcus could even defend his statement, Aro was gone in a flurry of robes. So, that was the reason behind the emotional storm brewing in Aro's heart: he had lost her in a most permanent way. A pang of sympathy surprised him.

"Everyone is losing their minds," Caius muttered.

Marcus sat back against the throne, his gaze going back up to the window. When he was human, he spent much of his time in prayer. When he was changed, he stopped and now he wondered why. Just because they were given immortality did not mean that the pain stopped. Perhaps Aro had been wrong about their souls. If there was no soul, why is there still hurt? And if there was hurt, why should he stop praying? He closed his eyes but all he could smell was the bon fire and all he could hear was Caius gnashing his teeth.

* * *

He had to see the child again. She had replaced his obsessive thoughts where Silvia had been. He couldn't figure out whether this drive was to fill Silvia's loss or if he truly wanted to know the child. All he was certain of was the need to be near her. It had only been six months since he first laid eyes on her and she now looked like a ten year old girl but spoke as if she was thirty. But there was something else, something more. She was looking more and more like Didyme.

She didn't look exactly like Didyme but the resemblance was too strong to ignore. It should not have surprised him though, Didyme had been his sister. But this child was truly his daughter, he had seen it first hand in her face. She had the same stubborn clench of her jaw, the inquisitive gleam in her blue-green eyes and, yes, she had his temper. But there was also Silvia present in her gentleness, laughter and joy in simple things. He hadn't realized just how similar Silvia and Didyme had been until a perfect mesh of both women was standing in front of him. He hoped tonight he would have a chance to speak to her directly.

He threw off his robes and pulled on his cloak. The sun had just barely slipped under the horizon when he started his run to Rome. After a handful of visits to the church, he realized the nuns made her sleep during the day so she could come out at night. Most of the clergy were asleep and as she grew, the less supervision she required. It shouldn't be long until he could introduce himself to her, speak to her on familiar terms. He had so many questions for her, so many possibilities that her existence could offer their kind.

His pace slowed as he entered the city limits of Rome. Whatever those possibilities were, she could never attain them though. Marcus would take one look at her and either destroy her with one touch or be her ultimate protecter. If the latter happened, Aro wouldn't have a hope in hell of getting to her ever again. But he wondered if he slowly prepared Marcus for the vampire-human's looks, if the introduction would go smoother? It was something to think about, for certain.

He paused outside the stone cathedral, wondering where his daughter would be that night. There were no noises coming from the courtyard so he concentrated on the subtle noises, auditory hints that were too low for the human ear. That was when he heard it...a soft hum, the dirge of a mass. The pitch of the song was too perfect and he knew he had found her in the sanctuary.

He hated to admit it but for the first century of his new life, Aro refused to stepped into a church. He tried to pass it off as mere superstition but it ran deeper than that. He was afraid of what would happen to a soulless being that stepped into the house of God. Once again, curiosity got the better of him and he went into a church one night. Nothing happened to him and the fear quickly evaporated. But a new fear gripped him as he saw the child lighting candles in the vestibule of the church. The candlelight glinted off her dark curls and cast her face in dancing shadows. Every time he saw her he forgot how the breathe. Perhaps she had more of her mother in her than he thought.

"Good evening, child."

She turned slightly, not quite surprised at his presence. "Good evening, Signore."

Aro strained his senses, searching for heartbeats or breaths but the only one he heard was the fluttering one of hers. Finally, he had a chance to speak to his daughter and he couldn't hide his smile. "What is your name?"

She regarded him warily and held one of the candles close to her. "Trista Moretti, Signore."

"Trista," he repeated and frowned. The name could have two meanings, either one less than acceptable. Trista could have been a form of the word "sadness" but the more direct translation would be "evil." That wasn't a fitting name at all such an intriguing child standing before him. "Who gave you your name, dear one?"

"The sisters say that my mother named me Trista because she was very sad."

"And what made her so sad?"

Her eyes slid to the stone floor. "I do not know, Signore."

He tried to take the edge off his smile. "There is no need to lie to me, dear Trista."

Glassy tears filled up her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "They say I am a demon," she sucked in a shuttering breath, "that I am evil."

"How could someone as beautiful as you be evil?"

"'Behold, Satan will come as an angel of light.'"

Aro knelt down so now the child was looking down at him. "I do not believe you are Satan or anything related to him."

For the first time in all his observations, she started to cry. "You are not afraid of me?"

He opened his arms to her and she willing fell against him, sobbing. She was so warm, much warmer than a human. Her heartbeat fluttered like a hummingbird in his ear as her hot tears soaked through his shirt. He was prepared to feel uncomfortable, awkward as he attempted to comfort his daughter but the uneasy feeling never came. It felt almost natural to comfort her. She turned her head slightly, her forehead coming into contact with the skin of his neck. He tried to contain his surprise at the onslaught of images her mind had presented. He tried to quickly shuffle through the most recent ones, searching for the ones all the way back to her very first memories. And there he found her...Silvia.

The images were blurry, as they should be since they were captured by a newly born child. The sounds were all new and alarming but the pictures were a sea of black and white...and red. Lots of red. Aro realized what he was seeing were the nuns in their black robes, their hands and arms stained in blood. Trista was silent, misinterpreting the nun's fear, not realizing she was the cause of it. A faint whisper broken the heavy silence.

"_Let me see her."_

Trista turned, either on her own or by a nun, and Silvia's face was present. She was so white, even her lips had been washed of color. Nothing could touch the look in her eye, not even death hovering so near, when the child was handed over to her. She smiled and pressed those colorless lips against Trista's forehead. She whispered in the child's ear, so low that even the nuns wouldn't have heard her. These words were for Trista only.

"_My beautiful girl, do not listen to what others say. You are not evil. You are very special and many people can not tell the difference. Your father will find you, I am certain of it. My precious, little Lucianna."_

Silvia's face disappeared from view, Trista was jostled and picked up by a nun. There was more blood, more chaos and then the finality of death. For the first time since she was born, Trista emitted a high pitched cry.

Aro slowly released the child. A war had broken out once more in his mind. There was an undeniable desire to protect her. She was not just his daughter, but she was Silvia's daughter as well. Silvia, who had never lost faith in him even when he had turned his back on her. And even though he wanted nothing more than to take the child back to Volterra, he could not do that. Caius would order her destroyed, the bitter taste of the immortal children still in all their mouths, and then come after the entire church in Rome. Even though he could prepare himself for Sulpicia's cold anger, he could not withstand Marcus' fury. No, the child would have to be destroyed.

He looked up at her bright eyes and flushed cheeks. "Lucianna..."

Her forehead creased slightly. "What did you call me?"

"I am afraid the sisters here have been calling you by the wrong name."

"How do you know?"

He smiled reassuringly. "I knew your mother, child. The name she bestowed on you was not Trista. She knew that name would never fit someone as...special as you."

She sniffed and hastily wiped away stray tears, her eyes bright with interest now. "I am not evil?"

"No, sweet one." Silvia was right to name her Lucianna. The name meant graceful, light...illumination. And that was what she was to him. She was the proof that even soulless creatures were still capable of producing life. He would have to end that life and keep this discovery a secret for as long as he existed but he didn't have to destroy her tonight. There was still too much to learn about the fascinating hybrid.

* * *

"What is troubling you, cousin?"

Sulpicia tucked the tendrils of hair that had fallen loose from the feeding behind her ear. She happened to have chosen a very spirited young man, though the fight did release some of the tension she had been hoarding. "Nothing is troubling me."

Athenodora's mischievous smile faltered as she looped her arm through Sulpicia's. "It is not like you to keep things from me. I worry for you and your sullenness."

"It is my disposition, nothing more. You should know this about me."

"But I have never heard such sour notes to come from you. If you can not tell me about it, then who?"

Sulpicia gazed about at the marble halls they were aimlessly wandering while their chambers were being cleaned from the mess of their last meal. "Why do you think the humans fight so? Surely they know they can not defeat us. If they escape, where will they go?"

Her red haired cousin sighed. "I suppose it is in their nature, much like a herd of cattle. They are too stupid to reason so they fight instinctually. That is why we exist, dear cousin." Athenodora's smile came back. "We hunt so they can fight. Besides, I do not believe it would be very enjoyable to feed on a human who has no fight left."

No fight left...that was exactly how she felt. Aro's curiosity kept leading him back to Rome. Demetri had confirmed it. Four, even five nights a week Aro was absent from Volterra to be with that half breed spawn. She had never laid eyes on the child but knowing how this creature had captured Aro's attention and even Demetri's affection now, was enough for Sulpicia to hate her.

"Cousin?"

Sulpicia turned and was surprised at the concern on Athenodora's face. "Yes?"

"I have known you too long and something is eating you from the inside. This heavy matter that you are carrying is becoming too much for even you."

Her eyes smarted but found no release in tears. She couldn't tell her cousin what she knew of Aro's infidelity and hybrid creation. It would be too shameful to admit it to the woman whose husband had a gift of single minded devotion, no matter if it was to his wife or to his justice. Athenodora, for all her bloodlust glee and semi-feral ways, had the entire ear of the most vengeful vampire in the world.

Sulpicia had seen it firsthand, back when Caius and Aro both were trying to woo them. Athenodora had complained about the noise coming from a local village, that it was jumbling her thoughts. The next morning, they discovered the village had been decimated singlehandedly by Caius. Sulpicia could still see her cousin dancing in the ashes and twirling the bones of the slaughtered villagers. Aro's attempts of gaining her favor had been much more civilized. Operas and tailor made gowns...hunting trips that lead to some of the most beautiful views in the world. She smiled wistfully, remembering that there had been a time when Aro had loved her.

"What is it that you fear, cousin Sulpicia?"

She could hide most the truth from Athenodora but not all of it. So she imparted the least damning for Aro but the most humiliating for her. "I am afraid my husband has grown tired of me."

Athenodora patted Sulpicia's hand gently. "Then that is a problem that is easily solved."

"How so?"

That impish grin came back on Athenodora's face. "His curiosity for new things is insatiable, no? Make yourself new, dear cousin! Buy a new gown, wear your hair down. Do something that is different that will make him realize there is a mystery he needs to solve."

Sulpicia shook her head. "After two millennia there are no more mysteries to solve."

"Then you invent one."

"And what are you inventing, love?"

Athenodora laughed lightly and released Sulpicia's arm, dancing over to Caius. "Trouble, my love. I am always inventing trouble."

A very slight smile tugged at the corner of pale vampire's mouth. "You are the master of trouble."

"And that is why you love me so."

"It is," he agreed. He turned to Sulpicia, all signs of softness gone from his face. "When you see Aro, tell him I must speak with him immediately."

"Of course."

Caius nodded and moved off towards his quarters, Athenodora in tow now. Sulpicia continued down the hall and stopped by the courtyard garden. She realized then she must have stumbled upon the subject matter of Caius' concern that needed to be discussed with Aro. Marcus was sitting in solemn silence by the edge of the fountain, staring blankly into the water. He was so still, he could have been a statue. She wondered what her fate would be if she really had outlived her interest to Aro. Would he have her destroyed and replaced? Or would he grieve for a time before marrying again? Would he grieve at all, like Marcus grieved for Didyme?

She wondered if she should go to Marcus, try to offer some comfort. He had always been skilled at giving advice and solace when Didyme was alive and she had gone to him multiple times for such things. All of them had done that over the years. He had been more of a rock than any of the stones that were laid as foundation for Volterra. But as she watched, a small bird that had been playing in the water, suddenly hopped up on the edge of the fountain.

Sulpicia held her breath as the bird cautiously investigated the still vampire that hadn't moved at all. Unafraid, the little sparrow danced up onto Marcus' hand, pecked at the hem of the robe and then proceeded to preen himself. Sulpicia was shocked to see a very small smile grace Marcus' face as he watched the bird. Her awe held her to the spot long enough for Marcus to realize she was there but only when the bird flew away did he turn to her.

"He will return to you, Sulpicia," he whispered, the breeze carrying his words. "To you and Volterra, he will always return."


	6. Chapter 6

**Twilight: Creation**

**Chapter Six**

"Where do you go?"

Sulpicia turned her eyes from the rich tapestries above her head to her husband's inquisitive face. She swallowed the emotion of annoyance for his constant question asking since his fingers were tracing absent patterns on the skin of her arm. Picking up her thoughts would be all to easy for him and his mind reading hands. "What do you mean?"

He frowned slightly, his forehead creasing. "There are times when I can not read your thoughts. You go so far inside yourself, you become unreachable. Where do you go?"

"I do not know." A small smile tugged slightly at her mouth. "Perhaps that is my gift, to become lost even to myself."

The frown eased away. "A very useful gift, to be sure." He leaned forward, burying his face in her loose, golden hair and sighed. "I must leave again tonight."

Pushing away the feelings of dissatisfaction this time was proving more difficult. "Very well."

She felt him smile against her neck. "Is this jealousy I detect in your tone?"

"Of course," she replied. "How can I not be jealous of these things that fascinate you?"

He sat up, a crooked grin on his face that was completely untouched by the sharp edge of truth that armed her words. "There will always be 'things' that fascinate me but take comfort in the fact that you, dear Sulpicia, will continue to confound me."

Another time, years ago, his speech would have melted the icy feelings she was harboring but not tonight. It seemed trite, rehearsed and it only angered her further. She sat up, wrapping the sheets around her chest in an effort to feel modest and rid herself of being vulnerable. "Is that the only reason you keep me here? I am a mystery to be solved and nothing more?"

His good nature had given way to cautious apprehension, like a inquisitive child who had stumbled upon an asp. "Are you angry with me?"

"Yes," she hissed. The pain of admitting such a thing stung more than she anticipated. When had she come to rely on his presence to bring her happiness?

Aro's eyes scanned the air in front of her and she knew he was rifling through memories, both hers and his own, searching for something. After a few seconds, he apparently found what he was looking for and sighed. "Ah. I see. You are angry with my absences from you."

Sulpicia traced the shadows on the sheets with her fingertip. "I fear you will find someone who enchants you more than I."

His hands brushed against her bare shoulders. "That could never happen."

She tried to decipher if there was truth behind his words but realized, she would never be able to tell. He was gifted when it came to coercion, so much so he could deceive himself into believing whatever benefitted him the most. If he couldn't tell between his truth and lies, how could she ever hope to do the same?

"We have not travelled in a long time," his child like glee was coming back. "We will make preparations, anywhere you want to go, and we will see it. Perhaps being in Volterra for so long is too stifling."

She had missed their jaunts into Spain and France. The long range hunting was starting to fade ever since Heidi joined their guard and brought food to them. Perhaps a journey, just the two of them, could reignite the spark that had once consumed them so completely. "I will think on the matter and give you an answer tomorrow."

"Excellent." He pressed his lips to her forehead, cheeks and neck. "There are a few matters I must attend to before tomorrow."

She nodded mutely and he was gone. She strained her ears for the sounds of him dressing and finally the door to their chambers closed. She quickly dressed herself and went to find Demetri. Aro wasn't the only one with plans and schemes.

* * *

Lucianna lit her customary three candles: one for her mother, father and her own soul. She wondered if it even mattered anymore, lighting a candle for herself. She knew she was different. She had watched orphans being brought to the church and knew her ten years of age did not match theirs. Her mind and body were that of a young woman, not a child. She heard what the nuns whispered behind her back as well. They still called her _Trista, _sneering as they did so.

Devil...sadness. It was a name with a double edge to it. As she watched the flames bounce and bob in the draft, she knew her strange protector had entered the sanctuary. It was her only warning of his arrival. He was too silent, too perfect. She wondered what the sisters would call him? Aro, with his perfect face, long black hair and red eyes. He looked more like the devil to her than her own reflection. But she knew the similarities between them held answers. Answers that she desperately needed, even if it meant the sisters were correct in their assumptions. She could handle being a spawn of Satan himself, as long as it was truth.

"Good evening, child."

Lucianna rose from her kneeling position and smoothed out her skirt. "Good evening, Signore."

"Shall we?" He offered his arm to her along with a razor blade smile that teetered on sincerity.

She accepted his arm and they moved out of the sanctuary into the courtyard. "It has been quite some time since your last visit. I hope nothing serious kept you away." She was used to asking questions even when she already knew the answers. There were so many events that had passed for this man, too many for a normal human though he never alluded to being anything but a man.

"Merely the droll of business, I am afraid."

She nodded politely though the scenes flashing across her mind told a different, strange story. There were others like him though not like her. Beautiful, frightening and alluring men and women standing around piles of arms, legs and heads as smoke curled around them and clung to their clothes. Some of the strange smoke must have still lingered on the sleeve of his cloak, stinging her nose. It was too sweet, unnatural. Brimstone, perhaps? Or something more sinister.

"Please forgive my forwardness, Signore but I am curious as to why I draw your attention. Is it merely due to a promise you made to my mother or is it something else?"

He seemed to be caught between surprise and approval of her question, his flawless face contorting oddly. "You remind me so much of your mother."

"How so?"

He laughed slightly. "Your outspokenness, firstly. But you have her strength, intelligence and, of course, her beauty."

She waited patiently for him to continue but he remained silent. "You did not answer my question, Signore."

His response was superficially polite, with undertones of defensiveness. "I believe I did."

"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing."

Unspoken words hung between them, suspended on the mental scent of that odd smoke and veiled threats. There was more to his words, there always had been, just as there was more to him. Curiosity had always been part of his character for as long as she could remember but tonight there was something else she couldn't place. When they reached a dark corner of the courtyard, he paused instead of continuing their leisurely lap around the cobblestones and she realized what this new aspect to their visit was: finality.

She stepped back, neatly removing her arm from his. "You are going to kill me tonight."

There was the briefest of moments when surprise registered in his garnet eyes. "Whatever gave you that impression?"

Lucianna resisted the urge to wring her hands by balling them into fists at her side. If she was going to die, she would show no fear for the strange creature that was her murderer. "Your curiosity concerning me has waned. If you had been interested in me as a person, you would have taken me from this church shortly after you introduced yourself." Tears sprang to her eyes but she clenched her jaw, willing them to stop before they fell. Anger was quickly being introduced to the fear. "What do you want with me?"

He actually looked remorseful as he gently brushed away a few strange tears. He looked at the salt water droplets in fascination as they dripped from his fingertips. "I want to understand you."

"What am I?"

His attention quickly turned from the tears back to her. A lethal smile wound it's way across his face, uncoiling like a poisonous snake. "I am afraid, my dear, you are damned."

The word hurt more sharply than if he had struck her. She had heard the very same things from the sisters and had silently hoped her strange night visitor would have a different message for her. However, she wasn't that fortunate. Why should she be if she was as damned as everyone told her? But there was one thing that could save her. One thing that no one knew except for herself. "I have a gift."

The fire of curiosity blazed once more. "What kind of gift?"

This was her bargaining tool. "Will you spare my life? Take me away from this wretched place?"

He looked shrewd, weighing the possibilities of her continued existence. "It depends on the power of your gift."

Courage swelled up, filling her chest cavity and causing her already rapid heart to beat faster. "I want a promise."

"I can not give one just yet."

She released her hands from the clenched fists and folded them neatly in front of her. "Then good night, Signore."

He laughed. "A moment, please, Lucianna."

Every time he said her name so informally the hairs on the back of her neck rose. "A promise, then?"

"A negotiation, perhaps?"

She watched him rub his pale hands together, waiting anxiously for her answer. "And that would be?"

"If your gift could provide insight or assistance to my, ah, people, I will allow you your life."

"And if my gift could provide nothing for you, then what? I am still facing death which I am not very fond of doing at this point in my life, short and strange as it has been."

"Fair enough," he paced slowly around her, like a cat circles a mouse. "I will release you from this stone prison with the oath that you will never return to Rome, Italy or even Europe. Where you go is your business but you will have no interaction with my kind."

Lucianna tried to hide her interest in the use of the words "my kind." So he wasn't human. Did that mean she wasn't entirely human either? Was she part demon, angel or something else? "Will you tell me what your kind is?"

"Your gift, first."

She had the feeling he had reached the end of his good graces and she could ask for nothing more. She only hoped her quirk could save her tonight. "When I physically touch something with my hands, I am able to see every event that has passed for that particular object."

It did not take long for him to process her gift though she could see him shifting through the positive and negative connotations of her power. A realization broke across his face that was akin to fear but more of wariness. The thought of murder crossed his face again, she could tell from the hard set line of his perfect face but then it melted away as quickly as it came.

"I have no use of your gift, child."

She could hear doubt taint his words and it confused her. "What am I, Signore?"

"Then you must leave, never to cross paths with me or my kind again."

She nodded. "You have my word."

"You are a miracle," he said simply. "My very own creation. Leave now."

Anger flooded through her at the evasive answer but the look of lethality had returned to his face. All it took was one threatening step towards her and she fled from the courtyard. She thought about going back to her quarters, gathering the meager belongings she had but the memory of garnet eyes spurred her straight to the street. She had never been into the city before and it didn't take her long to quickly lose her bearings. Breathless, confused, angry and lost, she collapsed in a heap of skirts and tears. It wouldn't take Aro long to find her and end her "miraculous" existence. A miracle...that was what she needed now and she didn't even have her rosary.

"Signorina?"

The tenor of the voice was different but the perfect pitch was the same. Lucianna looked up into the same shade of garnet eyes only they were set in another face. It was just as perfect, flawless and pale with an olive tone. Red eyes..._his _kind. "Please, leave me be."

Silently, he dropped a heavy cloak over her shaking shoulders and effortlessly lifted her to her feet. "I am here to assist you, Signorina."

She placed her hands on the folds of the thick cloak and intently watched the images. A porcelain skinned goddess with golden hair and the same red eyes was giving this man instructions to find...Lucianna dropped her hands from the fabric. "I am his daughter."

"Did he tell you that?"

Lucianna wiped the palms of her hands on her skirts, trying to wipe the words "Aro's daughter" from her mind. "Who..." her voice faltered. "Who are you?"

"I am Demetri," he offered her his hand. Without thinking, she gave it to him and was startled when he kissed her fingertips. "I have been watching over you for a long time. It is very rewarding to speak with you directly."

"Thank you, Signore Demetri."

"I beg your forgiveness but time is escaping us."

Before she could ask what he meant, she was cradled in stone like arms and flying through the streets of Rome. Her surroundings were passing so quickly, her stomach roiled dangerously. To save herself from an embarrassing display of nausea, she closed her eyes and buried her face against her savior. An hour seemed to pass before the wind died down and she was being set down on shaky legs.

"How do you feel?"

Lucianna merely nodded her head, not trusting her voice at the moment. They were in a dark alley but Demetri was leading her out of it. When they stepped into the gaslights, she saw they were approaching a docked ship. "Where-?"

"This is the port at Naples. This ship will be traveling to Great Britain and from there, onto the New World."

The New World...didn't anyone understand that where she stood right now was a new world? She didn't even know where in Italy Naples was located. As she was trying to form thoughts, another cloaked shadow appeared silently by their sides. She wouldn't have even noticed the new arrival if Demetri had bowed to them.

"My lady."

"Thank you, Demetri." A soft, willowy voice came out of the hooded cloak. "You have done very well."

Lucianna saw it was the blond woman that had given Demetri his orders. She stood very still and allowed the coldly beautiful woman to study her. When she spoke, her comments were swift and directed at Demetri.

"Was she in danger?"

"He was hunting her, yes."

"Hm." The woman brushed back Lucianna's wind blown hair. "She does look like Didyme, doesn't she?"

"Yes, my lady."

She sighed sadly. "Aro was right to want to dispatch her."

Lucianna's eyes widened but the woman waved a hand dismissively.

"You have nothing to fear from me, child. Here," she dropped a heavy cloth bag into Lucianna's hand. "This should be enough gold to pay for your fare to the Americas. Go and do not look back. Do not return to Italy and avoid anyone that crosses your path with crimson eyes." She absently brushed another stray hair back from Lucianna's face. "Know that I am only saving you because I could not save her."

"Signora?"

"Yes?"

Lucianna took a steadying breath. "Do you know what I am?"

"Aro did not tell you."

"No, Signora."

"You are half vampire and half human. You are the genesis of another chapter in our history, the creation of a new species."

Lucianna backed away slowly from the strange duo. Vampire...she had never heard the word before. There was no mention of such a thing in the Holy Scriptures. As she began to approach the boarding plank, she could still catch pieces of conversation from Demetri and the woman.

"Do you think Aro will allow her to live?" Demetri asked.

"We must wait and see. I do not know how he can track her and not admit her existence. But," a soft sigh was carried away by the breeze, "I fear she may be the downfall of us all."

Lucianna finally allowed tears to flow freely down her face as she boarded the large vessel. She found a hidden spot between nets and barrels, wedging herself between the rough wood and rope. She had foolishly thought that answers would bring her comfort but all they ever brought was more questions. And now she was alone, scared and unaware of the world that was looming in front of her.

Author's Note: Well everyone, thank you so much for the reviews! This is the end of Part I! I actually have three parts planned so I'll be starting Part II very soon! Thank you again for all your lovely reviews and for reading my story!


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